Flora’s Guide to a Second Chance at Love and Life

"Hehehe...," Fiona let out a hollow laugh, feeling like a tiny figure in her mind was on its knees, pleading desperately. Dad! Mom! Please be forgiving and don't hold this against me! I had no choice but to say this.novelbin

Jackson knew her parents had passed away, which only deepened his sympathy for her. He, too, was without parents. "Besides your parents, do you have any other relatives?"

"They're all gone..." Fiona lowered her head, silently praying to every celestial being not to hold this against her, for none of it was true! Her downcast look caught Jackson's eye, leading him to think she was grieving. Truly an orphan. A pitiful child, indeed. So young and without a single family member by her side.

Perhaps sensing a kinship with Fiona due to their similar circumstances, he tried to comfort her. The more he spoke, the more Fiona wished she could find something to cover his mouth. Stop! Please, stop! Any more, and she feared divine retribution! "Ring ring ring-" Just as Fiona was about to bury her face in her hands, her phone rang.

"Hold on, I need to take this call!" She hurriedly answered the phone without even checking the caller ID.

"Hello!"

"Fiona, did something happen at school today?" Damian's voice came through as he walked back to his office, having just left a meeting. He'd received a call from Keaton right after the meeting about an incident involving Fiona at school, prompting him to call her immediately.

"Uncle..." Fiona blurted out instinctively, then immediately realized something was off as she caught a glimpse of Jackson's furrowed brows. Hadn't she said she had no family left? So where did this uncle suddenly come from?

"Uncle, I'm in the middle of something. I'll talk to you later, gotta hang up now!" Fiona said quickly and hung up abruptly!

Damian was thoroughly annoyed. This girl, barely in Cedarvale for a few days, had already gone rogue, daring to hang up on him. Pondering for a moment, he pulled out his phone and sent a message to someone.

Back in the booth, Fiona set her

Jeft

phone on the table. Across from her, Jackson's gaze was probing. "Kid, didn't you say you had no family after your parents passed away?"" Jackson smiled, but his eyes were cold, his tone strangely pointed. "So, what's this about an uncle? Have you also learned to lie?"

"My parents are indeed no longer with me, having gone to a faraway place, so I wasn't lying about that. As for my uncle..." Fiona took a deep breath. She had already made her statement and wasn't about to ruin her credibility now. She'd have to

disavow her uncle, sacrifichim

for the greater good.

"My uncle... he hasn't been very kind to me, often Resorting to hitting or yelling. I don't like him, which is why I said what I did." Fiona was a little troublemaker, known for being so in Maple Grove, especially adept at bluffing with her clear, large eyes that could bewilder anyone.

"He hit you?" Jackson frowned.

"Yes." Fiona nodded. "You heard him on the phone just now, didn't you? His tone was awful, like he was about to throw a punch any second."

Jackson's brow furrowed, and he stayed silent. He hadn't caught what was being said on the other end, but the man's voice was indeed loud and seemed somewhat aggressive. "Your uncle, he really hits you?" At this point, there was nothing left to do but brace for the worst.